Q. If a Federal Election was held today to which party will you probably give your first preference vote? If not sure, which party are you currently leaning toward?

Q. If don’t know -Well which party are you currently leaning to?

Sample size = 1,799respondents

First preference/leaning to

Election

21 Aug 10

4 weeks ago

7/11/12

2 weeks ago

19/11/12

Last week

26/11/12

This week

3/12/12

Liberal

43%

43%

44%

44%

National

3%

3%

3%

3%

Total Lib/Nat

43.6%

46%

46%

47%

47%

Labor

38.0%

37%

36%

36%

37%

Greens

11.8%

9%

10%

10%

9%

Other/Independent

6.6%

8%

9%

8%

7%

2PP

Election

21 Aug 10

4 weeks ago

2 weeks ago

Last week

This week

Total Lib/Nat

49.9%

53%

53%

53%

53%

Labor

50.1%

47%

47%

47%

47%

NB. The data in the above tables comprise 2-week averages derived from the first preference/leaning to voting questions. Respondents who select ‘don’t know’ are not included in the results. The two-party preferred estimate is calculated by distributing the votes of the other parties according to their preferences at the 2010 election. These estimates have a confidence interval of approx. plus or minus 2-3%.

Q. How much have you read or heard about the Prime Minister Julia Gillard’s involvement with the AWU when she was working as a lawyer 20 years ago?

Total

Vote Labor

Vote Lib/Nat

Vote Greens

A lot

31%

37%

35%

12%

Some

29%

30%

33%

30%

A little

25%

23%

22%

35%

Nothing

12%

7%

8%

22%

Don’t know

3%

2%

2%

1%

60% said they had read or heard a lot or some about the Prime Minister Julia Gillard’s involvement with the AWU when she was working as a lawyer 20 years ago, 25% said they had read/heard a little and 12% had read/heard nothing.

Those most likely to have read/heard a lot/some were men (65%), aged 55+ (78%) and Liberal/National voters (67%).

Those most likely to have read/heard a little/nothing were women (42%), aged 18-34 (53%) and Greens voters (57%).

Q. How would you rate the way each of the following have handled this issue concerning Julia Gillard and the AWU? (based on respondents who have read or heard about the issue)

Total good

Total poor

Very good

Good

Neither good nor poor

Poor

Very poor

Don’t know

Julia Gillard

39%

35%

13%

26%

19%

11%

24%

6%

The Opposition

20%

49%

5%

15%

23%

21%

28%

7%

The media

20%

37%

5%

15%

36%

20%

17%

7%

Total

Vote Labor

Vote Lib/Nat

Vote Greens

Heard a lot

Heard some

Heard a little

Julia Gillard – Good

– Poor

39%

35%

71%

7%

17%

60%

58%

15%

39%

49%

43%

36%

38%

21%

Opposition -Good

– Poor

20%

49%

4%

79%

41%

21%

5%

75%

26%

58%

25%

47%

11%

45%

Media – Good

– Poor

20%

37%

7%

49%

35%

24%

13%

46%

25%

43%

24%

34%

14%

36%

39% think Julia Gillard’s handling of the issue has been good and 35% think it has been poor. Among Labor voters, 71% think it has been good and 7% poor and among those who have read/heard a lot about the issue, 39% think it has been good and 49% poor.

20% think the Opposition’s handling of the issue has been good and 49% think it has been poor. Among Liberal/National voters, 41% think it has been good and 21% poor and among those who have read/heard a lot about the issue, 26% think it has been good and 58% poor.

20% think the media’s handling of the issue has been good and 37% think it has been poor. Among those who have read/heard a lot about the issue, 25% think it has been good and 43% poor.

Q. Regardless of how you vote, what words would you use to describe the positions taken by Julia Gillard and Tony Abbott on the issue of asylum seekers? Choose as many that you think apply.

17 Oct 2011

3 Dec 2012

Julia Gillard

Tony Abbott

Julia Gillard

Tony Abbott

Difference

Just playing politics

46%

47%

39%

42%

-3

Too soft

21%

7%

32%

9%

+23

Stubborn

26%

20%

13%

17%

-4

Populist

13%

14%

13%

11%

+2

Fair

10%

15%

10%

13%

-3

Responsible

11%

16%

9%

14%

-5

Unethical

24%

14%

9%

13%

-4

Balanced

7%

11%

7%

10%

-3

Too hard

10%

6%

6%

11%

-5

Cruel

13%

9%

5%

11%

-6

Principled

6%

11%

5%

8%

-3

Visionary

6%

5%

2%

4%

-2

The most common descriptor for both Julia Gillard (39%) and Tony Abbott (42%) was that they are “just playing politics” over the issue of asylum seekers.

The main difference between the leaders positions on asylum seekers was that Julia Gillard was more likely to be considered “too soft” (32% to 9%).

Since this question was asked in October last year, the proportion describe Julia Gillard’s position as too soft has increased by 11%, stubborn decreased by 13%, unethical decreased by 15% and cruel decreased by 8%. Opinions of Tony Abbott’s position have remained much the same.

Q. Thinking about Christmas spending – compared to last year, do you expect to be spending more on gifts at Christmas, less or much the same?

Dec 08

Dec 09

Nov 10

Dec 11

Dec 12

Will spend more

3%

11%

10%

13%

14%

Will be spending less

38%

38%

38%

40%

24%

Spend much the same

55%

47%

48%

44%

58%

Don’t know

5%

4%

5%

3%

3%

14% say they will spend more on gifts at Christmas this year, 24% will spend less and 58% much the same.

Compared to last year, those spending less has declined by 16% and those spending about the same increased 14%.

21% of those aged under 35 say they will spend more, 60% of those aged 35-54 will spend much the same and 69% of those aged 55+ will spend much the same. There is no significant relationship between changes in spending and income.